Vault ventilator



March i7, 1931.

R. R. wr-:sT K 1,796,676

VAULT VENTILATOR Filed Jan. 4' 1930 IN VEN TOR. 7w/7. ZI?

BY @QW Kfm Mlm' A TTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 17, `1931 Ross n. weer, or sim MATEO, CALIFORNIA vanne." vnn'rirn'ron Application led January 4, 1330. Serial No. 418,548.

My invention relates to bank vaults and more particularly toan improved type of ventilating device such as is shown and described in my prior Patent No. 1,786,277 dated Dec. 23, 1930, entitled Vault ventilators Bank vaults, as at present constructed, must comply with certain rigid specifications which will render the vault substantially immune from successful attack by drills or metal cutting torches. It is also important that the vault be iireproof and, as a result, such a vault will be practically air-tight when closed. f y

In order to make a vault of this type perfectly safe for the attendants and other em ployees to enter without fear of being suffocated, should 'they be accidentally or delibl erately locked in the vault, itis necessary to provide means of ventilation so that fresh air can be delivered to the interior of the vault, should such a need arise.`

In providing such ventilation` however, it is essential that the means adopted will not defeat the prime requisite of the vault,

() same time be of such namely, security to its contents. It is therefore a consideration of my invention to provide a ventilating means which `will permit the proper amount of ventilation and at the the vault. A

"In most of the disclosures of the prior art, the ventilators provided afforded ventilation for the vaults bythe natural cireulationof air through openings` in the wall. `Under ordinaryeircumstanees this means of ventilation is suiiicient, but under Iextreme conditions, such as are encountered in large vaults, I find that it is desirable to provide means for producing a forcedcirculation of fresh air into and out of the vault, as disclosed in my above prior application. My present invention embodies many of the desirable characteristics of my previous application. This prior ventilator, however, while very successful, is, owing to its structure,`too expensive for some particular installations where a less expensive ventilator is desired. It is therefore a further object of my invention to provide a means whereby` the vault can be a natureas not to weaken eiiiciently ventilated by a forced circulation of air, which means is simple and economical to produce and can beoperated from within the vault and which will not render the vault susceptible to successful. attack.

Other features and advantages will appear as the description, taken in connection with the accompanying' drawings, proceeds. In these drawings, I have shown by way of illustration a preferred embodiment of my invention, wherein Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a vault wall showing my invention applied thereto and in its open position, i

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l, showing my device in its closed position,

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of my improved ventilator showing it in the position illustrated inFig. 1,

Fig. fi is a sectional view IV-IV of Fig. 1, and i Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line ,-V of Fig. 1.

In the drawing, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several figures, 1() designates a member adapted to be embedded ina vault wall 11,. The member 10 is illustrated in the drawings as being cylindrical in shape. It will be understood, however, that this member 10 may be of any desired configuration, the only limitation being that its inner opening will need be cylindrical. Mounted upon the outer end of the member 10 and secured thereto as by welding, there is shown an end closure member 12 and at the inner end of the member 10 there is shown a removably mounted end closure 13. These taken along line .end closures 12 and 13 have passages therethrough which, when the parts are assembled, will remain in alignment.

Arranged within the member 10 and between the end members l2 and 13, I provide a plurality of alternately arranged rotatable and stationary discs 14.- and 15, respectively. These discs may be of any desired thickness and any suitable number may be provided, the preferred arrangement being one wherein the alternate discs may be rotated in unison. These alternately arranged discs may be of any suitable material. In'the preferred ein? tively opened and closed.

bodiment of my invention, I contemplate providing discs of different characteristics, as for instance, alternate discs of copper and steel, the steel being resistant to drills and the copper resistant to torch attacks. It is conceivable also that discs of concrete or other suitable material might be used. The discs 14'and 15 are each provided with diametri* cally disposed openings which will coincide with the openings in the end members 12 and 13 when the rotatable elements 14 are rotated into a predetermined 'position and the stationary discs 15 are so disposed within the member 10 that their openings will always remain in alignment withthe aforesaid openings in the end members 12 and 13. Extending through the inner en-d member 13 and the several discs 14 and 15, there'is provided ar central shaft 16. This shaft 16 is squared throughout the major 'portion of its length and at this portion engages squared openings in the center of the .rotatable discs 14. At the point where the shaft 16 passes through the stationary disc 15, it will be understood that a circular opening is provided so that the squared shaft may rotate freely therein without disturbing their stationary condition. A suitable handle or cra-nk 17 is provided on the inner end of the shaft 16 so that the shaft may be rotated through an angle of 90 to bring the openings in the respective discs'14 and 15 into and out of alignment with each other to either open the vault for ventilation or close it against attack.

. Projecting into the upperl opening, designated by the numeral 18, of the inner end member 13, there is shown the discharge outlet of a suitable electric fan orblower 19 which is so arranged that it will force air out through the upper openings through the bank vault ventilator and, by reason of a -re duced pressure withinthe vault, cause fresh air to be: drawn through the lower opening, designated by the numeral 20, into the vault. Mounted upon the blower 19, I provide a suitable switch 21 which, when operated, will serve to control the operation of the blower 19. This switch may be independently operable by the attendant after the ventilator has been moved to its open position, or it may be interlocked with the lever 17, as described andy claimed in my prior application, so that the motor will be Yalternately started and stopped as the vault ventilator is respec- In order to maintain the rotors normally out of registry with the Ventilating openings in the stationary members 15 a latch member 22, of suitable construction, is employed which is adapted to be readily operated from a point adjacent to the handle 17 andat the same time appropriately engaging the outer rotor member 14, all as shown in Fig. 2. Mounted upon theend member 13 is a suit.- able safe-ty or alarm switch 23|. This alarm vthe vault. The end 23 is provided with a normally open circuit which is Acontrolled bya plunger 24 extending down through'the'projecting end of the member 10 and against one of the rotatable discs 14. The adjacent disc 14 is also provided with a recessed portion 25 which will cooperate with the plunger 24 and. permit it to moveinwardly and close the alarm 23 when the ventilator is moved into its ventilating position, as shown. This alarm, it will be understood, will be also rendered operative should the end plate be removed for any reason whatsoever.

At the outer end of the member 10` it will be noted that the end closure member 12 is so designed that it forms an, outwardly projecting flange which will effectively render any inward displacement of the body member 10 within the vault wall 11 impossible. It will also be noted that there is associated with the top and bottom openings 26 and 27, respectively, suitable tubular extensions 28 and 29 which cooperate with a suitable escutcheon plate 30 to form a finish on the exterior surface of the vault wall. In order that there be no direct draft created externally of the wall as a Vresult of the blower 19, .l also provide a louvre 31, adjacent the outer end of the tubular member 28, which serves to direct the circulatingV air upwardly against vthe ceiling. The tubular member 29, on the other hand, isrleft completely free of lany louvre or other member so that in an emergency an` operator within the vault may have a clear line of `vision through the opening in the ventilator, should he for anj7 reason want to observe conditions externally of member 12 is also shown as provided with a recess 32 into which the extreme end ofthe shaft Y,16 may be journaled.

In'addition to the above specifically referred to features, it will bevunderstood that my improved ventilator is yprovided with other safeguards and alarms such asare usually provided with devices of this character, and that I may also provide in conjunction with the rotating and stationary discs 14 and 15, various types ofpackings for the purpose of rendering the ventilator proof against. the introduction of gases and/ or liquids intothe device with a view to de stroying the same by an explosion. l

In Fig. 3 fof the drawing I have shown the leverk or crank 17 thro-wn into the horizontally extending position, which is the position which it will assume when the vault ventilator is open, as illustrated in Fig. 1. This view also shows the manner of mounting the fan vor blower 19entirely upon the end closure member13 and free of any connectionsv whatsoever withV the vault wall.

The Vsections vvshown in Figs. 4 and 5 clearly illustrate the manner of fixing the rotatable discs 14 upon the shaft 16 and the stationary discs 15 within the member l0, the members 14 being xed upon the shaft 16 by reason of the squared cross section, as illustrated in Fig. 4, and the stationary members being secured iixedly within the member 10 by reason of projections 33 formed upon the members l5 and `which project into suitable keyways 34 in the member lO.

Vhile I have, for the sake of clearness and in order to disclose my invention so that the same can be readily understood, described and illustrated specific devices and arrangements, I desire to have it understood that this invention is not limited to the specific means disclosed but may be embodied in other ways that will suggest themselves, in view or this broad disclosure, to persons skilled in the art. It is believed that this invention is broadly new and it is desired to claim it as such so that all such changes as come within the scope ofthe appended claims are to be considered as part of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat* ent is l. rIhe combination with a vault wall, of a member embedded in and extending through said wall, a plurality of alternately arranged stationary and rotatable discs disposed within said member and filling the space between its ends each having an opening therethrough, and means for rotating said rotatable dises to bring their openings into or out of alignment with the openings in said stationary discs toprovide or to prevent ventilating passages into the vault.

2. The combination with a vault wall, of a member embedded in and extending through said wall, end pieces secured at the ends of said member having aligned openings, a plurality of alternately arranged stationary and rotatable discs disposed within said member between said end pieces having f cio-operating openings therethrough, and

means for rotating said rotatable discs to bring their openings into or out of alignment with the openings in said stationary discs to provide or to prevent a Ventilating passageway into the vault.

3. In a vault ventilator, the combination of a member embedded in and extending through the wall of the vault, a plurality of alternately arranged stationary and rotatable discs disposed axially in alignment within said member and in Contact with each other and having openings adapted to register, and means for rotating said rotatable discs to bring the openings therein into or out of register with the openings of said stationary discs to provide or to prevent a Ventilating passageway therethrough.

4. In a vault ventilator, the combination of a sleeve embedded in and extending through the wall of the vault, a plurality of alternately arranged stationary and rotatable discs disposed axially in alignment within said sleeve and having openings adapted to register, means for rotating said rotatable discs to bring the openings therein into or out of register' with the openings of said stationary discs to provide or to prevent a ventilating passageway therethrough when in their assembled position within said sleeve, and means upon the inner end of said sleeve adapted to retain said discs within said sleeve and permit their removal and assembly from within .the vault only.

5. The combination with a vault wall, of a plurality of alternately arranged stationary and rotatable discs within said wall, said discs each having corresponding openings therethrough, and means for rotating said rotatable discs to bring their openings into or out of alignment with the openings in said stationary discs, said discs being closely adjacent each other, whereby when the openings ot the rotatable discs are out of alignment with the openings of the stationary discs, said discs present a substantially solid mass.

6. The combination with a vault wall, of a sleeve embedded in and extending through said wall, a plurality of alternately arranged stationary and rotatable discs within said sleeve, said discs each having corresponding openings therethrough, and means for rotating said rotatable discs to bring their openings into or out oit' alignment with the openings in said stationary discs, said discs being closely adjacent each other, whereby when the openings of the rotatable discs are out of alignment with the openings of the stationary discs, said discs and sleeve present a sub-` stantially solid mass, adjacent discs having different burglar-proof characteristics.

ROSS R. WEST. 

